Mechanical, Aerospace, and Nuclear Engineering

Mechanical engineers are engaged in a wide range of activities. At one end of the spectrum, they are concerned with fundamental engineering science, especially energetics and mechanics. At the other end, they are involved with the hardware of various technologies—the design and manufacture of mechanical components and systems. Aerospace engineering is concerned with disciplines and technologies that pertain not only to aircraft and spacecraft, but to other vehicular systems such as submarines and hydrofoils as well. Nuclear engineering focuses on the methods, devices, and systems required for the peaceful use of nuclear technology.

Research and Innovation Initiatives

Opportunities for research and innovation are delineated below. Opportunities may be theoretical, computational, and/or experimental. The Center for Flow Physics and Control, the Center for Modeling, Simulation, and Imaging in Medicine, the Gaettner LINAC Center, the New York State Center for Automation Technologies and Systems, the Scientific Computation Research Center, and the Center for Computational Innovations offer additional research opportunities for the department’s undergraduate and graduate students and their faculty advisers.

Materials, Materials Processing and ControlsMANE faculty are engaged in high impact interdisciplinary research in materials, manufacturing, and controls as well as research that effectively links the three disciplines to come up with system level solutions to important technological problems. The research interests of the faculty includes materials for energy, nano-materials, nano-composites, nanoscale heat transfer, thermoelectrics, nano-mechanics, fiber-reinforced composites, additive manufacturing, non-linear controls, micro-machining, spaceflight control, tribology, non-linear dynamics, nuclear materials, bio-materials, smart materials, adaptive structures and computational nano and bio mechanics.

Mishra, S.—Ph.D. (University of California, Berkeley); Dynamic Systems and Control, Modeling and Control of Micro/Nano-scale Manufacturing Processes, Data-driven Control System Design, Smart Building Systems.

* Departmental faculty listings are accurate as of the date generated for inclusion in this catalog. For the most up-to-date listing of faculty positions, including end-of-year promotions, please refer to the Faculty Roster section of this catalog, which is current as of the May 2017 Board of Trustees meeting.

Undergraduate Programs

Outcomes of the MANE Undergraduate Curricula
Students who successfully complete this program will be able to demonstrate:

an ability to apply knowledge of mathematics, science, and engineering.

an ability to design and conduct experiments, as well as to analyze and interpret data.

an ability to design a system, component, or process to meet desired needs within realistic constraints such as economic, environmental, social, political, ethical, health and safety, manufacturability, and sustainability.

an ability to function on multi-disciplinary teams.

an ability to identify, formulate, and solve engineering problems.

an understanding of professional and ethical responsibility.

an ability to communicate effectively.

the broad education necessary to understand the impact of engineering solutions in a global, economic, environmental, and societal context.

a recognition of the need for and an ability to engage in lifelong learning.

a knowledge of contemporary issues.

an ability to use techniques, skills, and modern engineering tools necessary for engineering practice.

MANE Program Educational Objectives

The Mechanical, Aeronautical, and Nuclear Engineering programs are each designed to prepare students for continued learning and successful careers in industry, government, academia, and consulting. While certain objectives of an undergraduate education in engineering are common to all programs, there are subtle but important differences that require some subset of objectives specific to ensuring that all graduates have specialized technical knowledge in their chosen field. Graduates of the programs within Mechanical, Aeronautical, and Nuclear Engineering will be apply their engineering knowledge, critical thinking, and problem solving skills and be expected to:

engage in professional practice at or enroll in high-quality graduate programs.

become leaders in engineering, science, academia, business, and public service.

continue their intellectual development through participation in continuing education, professional development, and/or community service.

The Mechanical Engineering, Aeronautical Engineering, and Nuclear Engineering degree programs are each independently accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, http://www.abet.org.

Dual Major Programs

Dual majors lead to a single baccalaureate degree embracing two fields. Special programs which can be completed in eight semesters have been developed. Examples include dual majors in Mechanical Engineering and Aeronautical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Biomedical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Nuclear Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Design, Innovation, and Society (STS), and others. Further information is available in the departmental office. Degree templates for Dual Majors offered by the MANE department may be found here: http://www.eng.rpi.edu/mane/undergraduate.cfm

Concentrations

The mechanical engineering curriculum offers the following four concentration options.

Mechanics and Structures
This concentration provides the opportunity for fundamental study in fluid, solid and structural mechanics. The objective is to develop broad analytical abilities and encourage critical inquiry. Programs in this area often continue through the master’s level. Topics include mechanics of materials, fluid mechanics, mechanisms and machine dynamics, structural mechanics, and biomechanics.

Design and Manufacturing
This concentration focuses on manufacturing and mechanical design. The manufacturing component addresses the development of new manufacturing techniques or operating manufacturing facilities, and the design of manufacturing equipment. The design component is concerned with design methodology in general and mechanical design techniques in particular, and is intended for mechanical engineering students interested in the design of machinery and mechanical systems.

Energy Systems
This concentration is intended for those interested in energy conversion and the development of mechanical power. Topics include heat transfer and the design of energy systems, heating, ventilation and air conditioning, combustion and propulsion.

Dynamics and Control
This is an inherently multidisciplinary area that is offered for students interested in the analysis, design and development of systems at the interface of mechanics, electrical and computer engineering, and robotics. Topics include machine dynamics and mechanisms, vibrations, mechatronics, robotics and control theory.

Concentration Electives Criteria
Students wishing to obtain any one of these concentrations must take three courses from the list below corresponding to the desired concentration. These courses will fulfill the two technical electives required in the senior year and one free elective. None of these courses can be taken Pass/No Credit and cannot be substituted by a project. A course from the list of Computational electives can be used as one of the three courses fulfilling the Concentration elective requirement provided it is not used simultaneously to fulfill the Computational elective requirement.

Certification
Students who fulfill the requirements specified above and obtain a concentration in one of the four concentration areas will receive at graduation a certificate issued by the Department of Mechanical, Aerospace, and Nuclear Engineering indicating the association of the Bachelor degree in Mechanical Engineering with the respective concentration.

Note: Students are reminded to consult the catalog and the Class Hour Schedule for the availability of a particular course in any given semester. Students should consult the list of pre-requisites and obtain instructor permission, if necessary.

Lean Design for Six Sigma - Innovation and Product Design & Development Certificate

To receive a Lean Design for Six Sigma - Innovation and Product Design and Development Certificate from the Department of Mechanical, Aerospace, and Nuclear Engineering (MANE), undergraduate/graduate students must fulfill the following requirements:

Obtain professional experience (one year cumulative) in Innovation and product design and development through a full-time position, Co-op position, or internship position.

Students are required to develop a plan for fulfilling this requirement and seek approval from the faculty coordinating the sequence of Inventor Studio courses listed above.

MANE.GlobalChallenges

This program empowers students to identify and solve problems of global importance. It includes the development of projects related to current global needs, taking courses relevant for these projects and participation in a seminar series dedicated to global challenges whose solution requires engineering contributions.

Students may declare interest in this program at any time during their freshman and sophomore years. They will work closely with a faculty mentor towards identifying a need, and defining and developing a relevant project. These projects may continue as Capstone projects. Students completing all requirements listed below will receive at graduation a certificate issued by the Department of Mechanical, Aerospace and Nuclear Engineering indicating their participation in the program.

Requirements:

Take two courses from a list provided at sign-in. These courses may fulfill Free elective requirements. They may also fulfill Technical elective requirements if they conform to the restrictions specified for Technical electives.

Take STSH 4210 Engineering ethics (or approved substitute course). This course can be simultaneously use to fulfill Humanities and Social Sciences requirements.

Perform at least one semester of Undergraduate Research on a topic related to an identified Global challenge. This activity should lead to at least one publication in the MANE student research journal. A Capstone Design project does not count against this requirement, although the research project may develop into a Capstone Design project.

Attend all lectures of the Innovators in Engineering seminar series organized by the Department of Mechanical, Aerospace and Nuclear Engineering, in any given academic semester.

Note: Students are reminded to consult the catalog and the Class Hour Schedule for the availability of a particular course in any given semester. Students should consult the list of pre-requisites and obtain instructor permission, if necessary.

Graduate Programs

The MANE department offers graduate programs in mechanical engineering, aerospace engineering, mechanics, nuclear engineering, and engineering physics. To accommodate a student’s career plans and interests, graduate programs are structured to allow great flexibility in choosing appropriate courses while ensuring sufficient depth and breadth. The professor assigned to or chosen by a student as the adviser has the knowledge to make suggestions of specific courses to further the student’s educational goals.

The graduate degrees offered by MANE are the Master of Engineering (M.Eng.), the Master of Science (M.S.), and doctoral (Ph.D.) degree. The five-year co-terminal bachelor’s/master’s degree program is also available to those who meet the department and Institute admissions requirements. To receive a graduate degree in MANE, both Institute and department requirements must be met. Both full-time and part-time students must adhere to these requirements. Complete information detailing the requirements for each degree is available on the MANE Web site and in the MANE Graduate Student Handbook published each semester at http://mane.rpi.edu/academics.

Master’s Degrees

Two master’s degrees are offered in MANE: the M.S. and M.Eng. They require 30 credits and include relevant coursework and a thesis (for M.S.) or a project (for M.Eng.) chosen based on mutual interests and needs of the student and their M.S./M.Eng. adviser. The Master of Science (M.S.) degree is well-suited to students who wish to prepare for a professional career and also to measure their ability to possibly pursue a Ph.D. in the future. The M.S. thesis is independently written by the student as a single author and must be approved by the thesis adviser as well as two additional committee members from the department’s faculty. A thesis presentation may be given to this committee or at a conference. The Master of Engineering (M.Eng.) degree is intended to be more applied and practically oriented in comparison to the M.S. degree.

Co-terminal Master’s Degree

The five year co-terminal degree timeline is achievable by many students in good academic standing. Students who enter Rensselaer with some college credits (for example, AP credits) may find it easier to complete the program in five years (i.e., one year beyond the bachelor’s degree to complete 30 credits required for a Master’s degree). Students applying to the co-terminal Master of Science (M.S.) program in MANE will complete a time-intensive thesis associated with it. Students applying to the co-terminal Master of Engineering (M.Eng.) program in MANE will complete a master’s research project.

Doctoral Programs

The doctoral degree requirements include 72 credits for students entering the graduate program with a bachelor’s degree or 48 credits for students entering with a master’s degree. In addition to residence and dissertation credits requirements, students must successfully complete 36 course credits if entering with a bachelor’s degree or 12 course credits if entering with a master’s degree. The graduate student’s Ph.D. adviser will guide the student in all aspects of his/her academic and research programs. This adviser is usually a faculty member from the MANE department but can occasionally be from a different department. If a student chooses to do a thesis with an adviser from another department, then a doctoral committee co-chair from within the MANE department is required. Major milestones for the Ph.D. program in MANE include passing a doctoral qualifying exam, a doctoral candidacy exam, and successfully defending the dissertation in an open presentation to his or her committee. The Ph.D. degree is awarded for research making an original contribution to fundamental knowledge in a particular field or in an interdisciplinary field or for research into the relation of a discipline to educational problems and objectives within the field. The Ph.D. dissertation must be scholarly, creative, and original.

Outcomes of the Graduate Curriculum
Students who successfully complete this Ph.D.program will be able to:

demonstrate advanced proficiency in the core program area.

demonstrate proficiency in research techniques (theoretical, computational and experimental).

effectively communicate both orally and in writing.

independently conduct research resulting in substantial scholarship.

Course Descriptions

Courses directly related to all Mechanical, Aeronautical, Nuclear Engineering, and Engineering Physics curricula are described in the Course Description section of this catalog under the department code MANE.